Lawn sprinkling assembly



y 1961 A. c. RAMSEY 2,983,451

LAWN SPRINKLING ASSEMBLY Filed-M3123, 1960 36 kk I INVENTOR. flrffiur 6. Ramsey LAWN SPRINKLING' ASSEMBLY C. Ramsey, Green Gables, Fla. (442 3 Tol edo.1St.,Co ral Gables, Fla.)

FiledMay 23,-1960, S er. No. 31,188 I, 6 Claims. Cl. 239-203 The present: invention relates generally to an underthe bias of the biasing means when it is desired to alter the pivot point as previously described' It is a fur therobject of the present invention to provide a handle for the cover plate having a flange preventing the accidental withdrawal of the handle fro nthe cover plate when manually raising the cover.

ground sprinkling system, and more particularly to a sprinkling system in which the sprinkling heads can be raised and lowered .from receptacles provided therefor and placed with the ftops}thereo f flush with the ground.

There are generally twotypes of underground sprinkling systems, one oi which has a so-called mist-type head which sprays, a small area, andone of which is supplied with a rotating. nozzle-type of sprinkler head which covers a relatively large area. For the; purpose of covering the greatest are'afwith the smallest number of sprinkling heads, it willibeobvious 'that itwould bepreferable to have .a system in which a, small. number of rotating nozzle heads are 'supplied. In the past, it has been extremely 'difiicult to provide a system of the type mentioned because ofithe fact that nozzles of the rotating type must stand well abovethe gro'undin order to accomplish the purpose of covering a large area.

The present invention proposes to provide a sprinkling system ofthe underground type in which one or more receptacles'are supplied wherein sprinkling heads. may be stored when not in use and wherein, in addition, the heads may be raised well above the surface of the ground during the periods'when it is desired to usethe system.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide. an underground sprinkling system" in which a receptacle is provided wherein thespinkler heads may be stored when not, in- .use and in which the receptacle is provided with a piyotable cover connected to the sprinkler so that the sprinklermay be raised from the receptacle or lowered therewithin by simple opening movement of the cover. I

It is a -furtherobject 'of the present invention to provide a sprinkling system as hereinbefore described in which the cover includes a sliding cover plateand in which means are provided interconnecting the cover plate and the sprinkler whereby the movement of the cover plate alters thepivot point of thefi-nterconnecting means so that pivotinglmovementin opening theeoveryplate While the plateisin one position-will cause the sprinkling head toraisegand opening movement of the cover, when (the cover plate isvjin alsecond position and while the Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sprinkling device substantially as described wherein means are provided for supporting the sprinkler firmly in thevertical position against the impact of a foreign object. a

- Other objects and advantages will be apparent as further description of the invention proceeds.

In the drawing: v

Figure 1 is a side elevatio'nal'view partially insection and with portions broken away to reveal details of construction. p 3

Fig. 2 is a top plan view partially in section to show details of construction of a receptacle embodying the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary,'topplan view of the receptacle with the cover removed; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse, cross-sectional view'taken along line 44 of Fig. 2. j g

Referring "now to I the drawing, and particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown a receptacle indicated generally by thenumeral 10. In the preferred form, the receptacle 10 is'generally rectangular and provided with a pair of end walls 12 and 14 and a pair of side walls 16 and 18. A substantially U-shaped opening 20 is shown in side Wall 18 proximate to its juncture with end Wall 14 so that a water supply conduit 22 may be received within receptacle 10. t,

7 An elbow 24 is provided in threaded engagement with conduit 22 at one end, and in further threaded engagement with pipe segment 26 at its other end'.-- The other end of pipe segment 26 is in threaded engagement with a rotating nozzle-type sprinkler indicated generally by the number 28. It will be noticed with particular reference to Fig. 1 that in the solid line position, the sprinkler 28 and pipesegment 26 are entirely withinthe confines -tom. It should be further noticed that the receptacle ,sprinklerislin.the.. raised'p osition, willfcause the sprinkler .to he im pelleldito w artl the stored position. f

' it is another" objector the present invention to provide biasing me' an twee'n'tlie cover or top'closure and the cover plate, wh e by the cover. plate is continuously biased toward ,one position. v

It is still af urther object of the present invention to providea coyer plate and top closure assembly as above described, wherein the top closure is provided with one or more slots, to ,accommodate the sliding motion of the coverplate 'j m It is still a ur'theiiobject of the present invention to provide an, assembly mpove described in which the" cover plate is provided w t handle which can'be raised ,and lowered with rjespect to th'e, cover plate and permitting an operator to manually slide the cover plate against of the receptacle 10. A collar 30 is mounted on pipe segment 26 intermediate sprinkler 28 and elbow 24, and av flange 3 2 having an eye 34 at one end isfixed at its other end to collar 30. Collar 30 is positioned on pipe segment 26 so that in the raised ordotted line position in 1, the collar 30 is positioned below the top ma1fgin of the receptacle 10. v 9

It will be noted that the receptacle 10. is buried in an aperture provided therefor in the earth, and has no hot- 10 is buried with its upper margins flush with the ground indicated generally by the number 36. In order to fasten the receptacle Within the aperture provided, .a series of pins or nails 38 are provided which are driven through openings provided therefor in' the side and end walls .of the receptacle and engage withthe ground 36 to prevent upward movement of the receptacle.

A top closure 40' is provided for receptacleltl which is pivoted to end wall 12 of the receptacle in'the customary' manner by a pin 42 and hinge 44. Top closure member 40 is provided with a pair of grooves 46 and 48 ,for reasons which will hereinafter appear as the description proceeds.

as' top closure member'40, but being of a lesser length, is slidably mounted on top closure member 40 vand'is held thereonin a, manner which will subsequently be described. i j

A generally U-shaped handle52 is provided having a handle section"54 =and a pair of side legs 56. The handle extends through a 'pair of apertures 58' provided Patented May 9, 1961 A cover. plate 50 having substantially the same width therefor in cover plate 50. These apertures register with slot 46 in top closure plate 40 through which the legs 56 also extend. Legs 56 are provided at their extremities proximal to the open end of the U, with a pair of flanges 60 bent in the same direction at right angles thereto and integral therewith. The flanges 6t) prevent the handle '52 from pulling out of engagement with the cover plate'St) and top closure 4% when grasped at the handle portion 54 and pulled upwardly. At the same time,it can be seen that, due .to the length of legs 56, the handle can be moved from a position in which portion 54 is flush with the top of plate 50 to a position in which there is ample room for the hand of a user to grasp the handle portion 54.

A pair of spring mounting bolts 62 and 64 are provided upon which the open ends of a spring 66 can be mounted. Spring 66 is in the shape of a half ellipse in its extended position and its closed end bears against a tension applying bolt 68.

Means areprovided interconnecting eye 34 with cover plateStP which is shown-in the drawing as a chain 76 bolted to the eye at one end and bolted to the cover plate 50 by means of hexagonal bolt 72 atthe other end. 'To permit movement of the bolt '72 relative to the top closure 4-0, slot 48 is provided in the top closure 46 It is obvious from the structure described, that the legs 56 of handle 52 and the bolts 72 and 68, will position the cover plate 50 properly with respect to top closure 4-0. Washers (not shown) will be provided forfbolts 72 andfi so thatthe plate Stimay be held closely to top closure '40without preventing sliding movement of plate 5% relative to closure 40. i

In operation, it will be assumed that the sprinkling head 28 and pipe segment 26 are initially found in the solid line position shown inFig. 1 within'the receptacle provided therefor. When it is desired to raise the sprinkling head 2? to its operational position indicated in dotted line in Fig. 1, it is asimple matter for the user to grasp and raise the handle 54. "Thecover plate 50 is in its furthest position toward the end of receptacle indicated by end 14, due to the bias of 'spring 66' against bolt 68. In this position, an upward manual force exerted against handle 52 by an operatorgrasping handle section 54, will extend chain 70 causing pipe segment 26 and sprinkler head 28 mounted thereon to raise to a fully upright position. In order to permit such movement, elbow 24 is threaded to conduit 22 with at least a quarter turn of leeway to permit the elbow 24 to pivot on the conduit 22.

It is desirable, when the sprinkler'is'in operation, to

stopped by the forward margin ofi groove 46.

support it in the raised position, and for this reason the operator, after raising the sprinkler head 28 to its upright position, will release some of the tension on chain 76 by slightly lowering closure plate 40 and will then impart force against the bias of spring 66 to move the cover plate '50 slightly to the rear. A groove 74 having a generally V-shaped margin is provided in the top closure plate 40 so that the plate may be moved to its closed position accommodating pipe segment 26 therein. The rearward force on the cover plate 56 is thenreleased, permitting the cover plate to slide for ward covering slots 46 and 48 and spring 66 will bias'the front'edge of plate'50 into frictional engagement with segment 26 providing support for pipe segment 26 in the upright position. Support of the kind mentionedis necessary for pipe 26 when in the upright position so that'accidentjal impact of a foreign object with the pipe will not cause the pipe to be broken off at its lower extremity.

Should it be desired now to lower the pipe 26 and sprinkler 28 back into the receptacle 1G, the operator gaged with bolt 72, will have been sufficiently altered so that opening motion of the cover Ell-and-top-closure-40 will impel segment 26 and sprinkler 28 toward its stored position within the receptacle 10. Such impelling force does not carry the pipe 26 and sprinkler 28 entirely into receptacle 10, but alters the center of gravity of the structure sufliciently so that the force; of gravity will cause the sprinkler 28 and pipe segment 26 to lower the remainder of the distance, into the receptacle 10.,

When the sprinkler 28 and pipe segment 26 are thus lowered, the top closure 40 and cover'plate'-' 50, may be closed and the rearward force on the'closure plate released. The biasing action of spring 66 will then cause the cover plate 50 to slide forwardly. along top closure 49 as guided by slots 46 and 48 until'such movement is In this position, the slots 46 and 48, and the notch 74, are all covered by cover plate 50 such that no leakage will take place in the receptacle 10 when the receptacle is closed and the sprinkleris out of use. i j Having thus described the invention what is'claimed as new and desired to besecuredby letters patent is: j 1. In an underground'sp'rinkler systemjthecombination with a water supply conduit fof; a sprinkler head pivoted on the conduit, and a bottomless, generally rectangular receptaclehaving a-conduit receiving opening therein, said receptacle buried with the upper margins thereof flush with the surface of'the ground, said receptacle having a top closure pivoted thereonysaid top closure having a sprinkler receiving opening therein and being provided with a sliding, cover plate, said sprinkler head beingpivoted to said water supply conduit adja'centlone end of s-aid receptacle and having an operating position outside of said receptacle and {stored position within'said receptacle, and means interconnecting said top closure and said sprinkler head whereby an initial opening pivoting movement of said top closure raises said sprinkler head to the operating position-and a subsequent opening-pivoting movement of said closure impels said sprinkler head toward the stored position said top closure may close'said receptacle and said coverplate is slidingl y'engageablewith the sprinkler head when the latteris in the raised position. 2, The device ot-clai'ml, wherein said cover plate is provided with a manually raisable'ja'nd lpwerable handle and a tension applying means and said'top closure is provided with a slot for slidably receiving said handle and said 'means, biasing, means mounted on said top closure and bearing against said tensionapplying means, said handle being raisable to manually grasp when raising or lowering said top closure and said biasing means sliding said cover plate and handle along said slot to engage said cover plate with the sprinkler head and j to cover said slot'openi-ng ag'a insti'liuid leakage.

3.- Tlie device of claimZ, wherein said biasing means pomprise a spring of generally one-half afi ellipse in shape, the closed end of said spring-bearing against said tension applying means, saidspring normally biasing said 7 cover plate toward aslot coveringposition;

simply grasps the handle.S2 by handle portion 54 and that direction, but the pivot point of the chain 79 en'- ands theiotner' ma a f '4."The device 'of claim 3", wherein the irrreans inter connecting said sprinkler with saidito'p: closure areconnected to said cover platefsaid-top closure-being prof vided with a slot for-slidingthe iriterconriectingmeans relative to said top closure whereby "f 'ej i ik r is in the raised position and" it is des to s re it, said cover plateismanua lly sliding'ly moved against thebias o sa pr ov n id s r ii m w h sa d p n e and ope i o impelling saidfsprinklerj toward' its fStor 5Ths deli/i516 5 c im 4, "whstsi mounted onan'elongated connectingp pe pivoted ,7 w ter uppl nd1 t,,-. s r te sq, 'fi fl S-Q lp ng'a ainrtaste ed i bo rpla said iconow ed d l ase? cl p's pi ewii aeby a wi h? ra ng a se stea s! connecting pipe positioning said sprinkler in the raised position well above the level of the ground.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said cover plate is generally rectangular in shape thereby to cover the sprinkler receiving opening in the top closure when said sprinkler is in the lower position, said cover plate slot being a detent preventing further sliding action of said cover plate.

- 6 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Jirouch Mar. 28, 1916 Ballerstedt Apr. 20, 1920 Pfeiifer June 27, 1950 Nullet July 31, 1956 

